Free verse poetry is free from the normal rules of poetry. The poet may choose to include some rhyming words but the poem does not have to rhyme. A free verse poem may be just a sentence that is artistically laid out on the page or it can be pages of words. Some forms of free verse separate, or split, phrases and words between lines. Punctuation may be absent or it may be used to place greater emphasis on specific words. The main object of free verse is to use colorful words, punctuation, and word placement to convey meaning to the reader.
Free verse poetry became popular and acceptable during the 20th century, although scattered examples of the style were found previously. Walt Whitman is considered by many to be the first English free verse poet.
There are many types of figurative language that can be chosen to use in free verse poetry. Some common ones are: alliteration: the repetition of the same or similar sounds at the beginning of words, such as Parson Peters picked a peck of pickled peppers. assonance: the repetition of vowel sounds within a phrase, such as in crave and rave. internal rhyme: rhyme within a line or verse, as in boisterous and noisterous. onomatopoeia: words that sound very similar to the sound they name, such as the buzz of bees, the howl of the coyote, or the snap of twigs. metaphor: compares two unlike things without using the words like or as rug rat, couch potato, an icy stare, an old flame. simile: compares two unlike things using the words like or as, such as cold as ice, as busy as a bee.
Information taken and adapted from the Lesson Free Verse from Readinga-z.com
Free Verse
There are many types of figurative language that can be chosen to use in free verse poetry. Some common ones are:
alliteration: the repetition of the same or similar sounds at the beginning of words, such as Parson Peters picked a peck of pickled peppers.
assonance: the repetition of vowel sounds within a phrase, such as in crave and rave.
internal rhyme: rhyme within a line or verse, as in boisterous and noisterous.
onomatopoeia: words that sound very similar to the sound they name, such as the buzz of bees, the howl of the coyote, or the snap of twigs.
metaphor: compares two unlike things without using the words like or as rug rat, couch potato, an icy stare, an old flame.
simile: compares two unlike things using the words like or as, such as cold as ice, as busy as a bee.
Information taken and adapted from the Lesson Free Verse from Readinga-z.com